


Holy Water Cannot Help You Now

by hugharekillianmelou



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Anxiety, Fire, Murder, Other, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Waterboarding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-24
Updated: 2019-10-28
Packaged: 2019-12-06 20:05:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18224816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hugharekillianmelou/pseuds/hugharekillianmelou
Summary: Due to a misunderstanding, Malachai gets captured and waterboarded at 16.Tall Boy was right.





	1. Part 1. I was dead before I woke up this morning

Dark

Pounding

Burning

Gasping

Bright

He fell out of the chair heaving, water and bile expelling themselves from his lungs. As he tried to regain his breath, a blurry pair of shoes stepped into his vision. A noise murmured its way into his ears, but it felt muffled. His chest hurt, his lungs burned, I can’t breathe. Hands tried to find something to hold onto, and all he could do was grip the ankle of the shoe in front of him. Liquid was pouring out of every orifice in his face and he couldn’t focus. I’m going to die I’m going to-

Two hands gripped him under his arms and hoisted him up.

In front of him stood a blurry man with dark hair. The teenager’s knees buckled, but the man held him up, not flinching when the teen coughed in his face.

“Sorry about this, kid.” the man sat him down and gave him a towel to wipe off with.

“ Wrong place, wrong time” once the teenager had calmed down, he helped him up.

“It’s cold out, here,” he handed him a sweatshirt, “Take this”

Malachai took the sweatshirt with shaking hands, and pulled it on, wrapping it tight around his body.

“If I were you, I wouldn’t tell anyone about this little experience you just had, ok? Run on home. Get warm and changed.” he guided him to the door of the place, and saw him out.

Malachai stumbled to the treeline, before landing on all fours, his body convulsing as a round of coughs racked his body. His chest hurt, his head felt fuzzy, his body still weak and knees wobbly. He got up again and lumbered through the woods, stumbling through the soggy forest bedding, his sneakers squelching through the mud.

Halfway home, he stopped again, crumpling against the nearest tree, bent over, wide-eyed and gasping for air, dry heaving. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, his heart was pounding in his ears, trying to drown out the sound of running water that had cemented itself in his brain. His insides were working against him, squirming and gyrating beneath his skin, soon to be forced out.

It took another half hour of stumbling, gasping, and crawling for the teenager to get to the edge of the woods.

As he breached the treeline, he collapsed in a shaking heap.

Almost home. He was almost home. There, he could rest. There, he could drown out the swampy sounds that plagued his ears.

His house came into view. Home, he thought, almost home.

He ran, tripping over himself to get to that door, to get inside.

Pounding.

He pummeled his fists against the door, desperate to be let in, trembling hard, and breath unsteady.

The door was yanked open, an agitated Abdiel Martinez on the other side.

“Mijo?” he fell into his father’s arms.

“Papa!” the man pulled his son closer inside and shut the door. Malachai grasped his father’s shirt tightly, tears starting to fall.

“Papa! I’m sor-sorry!” he hiccuped. Abdiel rushed his son over to the couch and started to check if he had any injuries as the teen’s breath seemed to come out in harsh pants. As he was checking his hair, the boy flinched back.

“Who did this to you?” his father asked, his face darkening, a brewing storm of anger seeping in. Malachai looked back at him, unfocused, eyes bulging and horrified.

Shivers started racking the teenager’s body as he clung to the older man. Abdiel wrapped his arms around his son and held him close as the tears started to flow. All he could do was rub his back and thread his fingers through his curls as he rocked the boy.

“Shh, shhh” Malachai just seemed to cry harder. “I’m here. You’re safe. I’m here” he kissed his hair and rested his chin on his son’s head.

Luz and Ezra came through the door a few minutes later, dinner in hand.

“Hola mis amores-” Luz nearly dropped her food at the sight in front of her.

“Baby?” she set the bags down and hurried over to the sofa, prying her son from her husband’s embrace and cradling his face in her hands. She looked up at Abdiel, waiting for an explanation. He shook his head and shrugged.

“Ezra, go to your room-”

“But-”

“Now” Ezra gave their cousin a worried look before they set down their bags and went to their room.

“Go get him some new clothes, ok?” she placed a hand on Abdiel’s shoulder and he complied.

She pulled him to her and cradled him in her arms. He clung to her tightly, his sobs starting up again, wracking his body. Her heart was breaking as she heard his broken cries muffled by her shoulder.

Abdiel soon came out with a pair of clothes and helped his son into them, before he grabbed his jacket.

“Where are you going?” Luz asked.

“Out.”

“Where.”

“Out.” Abdiel grumbled,

“Be safe.”

His face softened, and he leaned down to kiss her forehead, “I’ll be back soon”

Malachai flinched as the door shut. Luz tried to wrap the two in a blanket, but he resisted, and nearly fell off the couch.

“I-” he hiccuped, before running to his room and slamming the door.

A muffled sob came from his room. She approached the door hesitantly.

Sweat dripped off him, landing on the carpet, creating small, circular, dark spots on the carpet. The world was spinning, but he wasn’t moving with it. He swayed slightly, eyes unfocused. He could feel wetness on his face and hear the sounds of weeping, but it all seemed distant, detached from his current self.

Luz jiggled the handle, unable to open it.

Malachai couldn’t hear it. The rush of water flowed through his ears, stronger than ever. He held his hands to his head, trying to keep the sounds out.

“Out!”

He clutched at his hair, pulling it til it hurt. His heartbeat quickened, and breath became shorter and shorter again.

Luz walked to her room and sat on her bed, the sounds of crying fading slightly. As she listened to her child weep, a tear rolled down her cheek. She felt helpless, grasping her rosary and holding it close to her chest. She prayed that her son would be okay. That he would stop hurting soon.

Whatever happened to him, whoever did this, they were going to pay. And pay in blood.


	2. Gasping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath

Malachai woke up the next morning, his face wet.

He rubbed his sheets against it, hoping to dry his skin, but to no avail, his eyes kept leaking.

-

He looked at the shower as he sat on the tile floor of his bathroom, breathing. The drip drip of the water from the shower head caused him to flinch each time it hit the ground. Maybe a bath would be a better idea.

Once the bath was filled to the brim and steaming, he disrobed and stuck a foot in.

The water sloshed as it settled at the bottom of the tub. Another foot and then he slowly lowered himself in.

His long legs bunched as he tried to settle himself in.

His hair couldn’t get wet his hair couldn’t get wet his face couldn’t get wet.

He eyed the washcloth sitting at the edge, the pounding in his ears growing louder as everything around it became blurry.

The faucet of the tub made a drip drip drip against the water, turning into pounding drums that became harder and harder to block out.

The white washcloth mocked him as he stared at it, his breathing more erratic as he pulled his legs closer to his body.

The next thing he knew, he was out of the tub, wrapped in a towel and his mother’s embrace, her makeup displaced by tear marks down her cheeks, her mascara running.

“Oh mijo “ she held him tighter to her, kissing his now dry curls.

“What…happened?”

“We found you passed out in the tub” she kissed his cheek.

He clung to her, squeezing his eyes shut.

“I”

“Shh, it’s ok baby, it’s ok, you’re here. You’re safe”

“It was” He hiccuped, trying to get a sentence out.

“Shh, just rest, just rest” she tucked him into bed,

“Can you stay with me?”

“Of course mijo” she sat next to his bed, holding out her hand for him to take. He grasped it and held it tightly, pulling it into his chest.

Her soft voice was soon drowned out by a rush of water in his ears, pounding inside his head, hurting him. He whimpered and pulled back, presseing the heels of his palms tightly against his ears.

“It won’t stop It won’t STOP IT WONT STOP IT WONT STOP IT WONT STOP” he repeated over and over, his voice rising in volume until Luz had to cover his hands in her own, her chest hurting.

Abdiel came in

Malachai started to struggle against the sheets, his body thrashing, the sensations were back and his face felt wet. He clawed at it, hyperventilating until Abdiel held him tightly.

-

The next month continued similarly, ruining his sleep and hygiene. His eyes carried dark circles underneath them, his once bouncy curls had lost their life, hanging limply on his forehead.

He wouldn’t eat. His face had sunken in, his skin pallid.

He wouldn’t go to school, he wouldn’t leave his bed. He just laid there, staring blankly at the ceiling, his ears pounding, his head hurting.

Nai had come over a few times to check up on him and give him his homework and some food. He had been absolutely terrible to her. He’d snapped at her, ignored her, and once yelled at her. She had stopped coming after that. She had stopped talking to him after that.

_“I brought your homework,” she set it down on his desk._

_He stared at the ceiling_

_“We’ve been missing you at school.”_

_He shrugged, turning to face the wall._

_“Mm”_

_“Well, I brought my mini piano with me. I know how much you like it. Would it be ok if I played it?”_

_He turned towards her, and she managed to get a good look at his face. It was pale, he had dark circles under his eyes, his face was thin and he trembled slightly._

_“Mal-“_

_“I don’t want your pity”_

_“You’re not getting any of it.”_

_“Good.”_

_He looked at her for a few moments, before sighing._

_“Can you play the piano?”_

_She paused, “what would you like?”_

_He groaned, “just play it.” He held his head, almost in pain._

_“What’s wrong?”_

_“Everything. Play….please”_

_She nodded and took her piano, starting to play one of his favorite tunes._

_The notes soothed him at first, the light melody traveling through his muscles, relaxing the tight bundles they had made._

_He was enjoying himself until the notes started to change, in his left ear, a rushing stream started over the once soothing notes, crescendoing until it was all he could hear. He reached forward and smashed his hands on the keys once before his wrist was caught in the girl’s grip._

_“You alrigh-“ he yanked his hand back violently, holding his wrist to his chest._

_“Mal.”_

_“Stop it.” He snapped, his eyes wild,_

_“Mal-“_

_“It’s like nails on a chalkboard” he held the palm of his hand to his ear_

_Nai nodded, “Alright…I’m putting it away, see?” She slid it back into her backpack before sitting back, out of his reach._

_He was panting, his breath ragged, smashing the heel of his palm against his ear._

_She reached forward, and took his hand gently,_

_“Malachai-“ she said softly, before he dug his fingers into her hand and she let go with a yelp._

_“Why didn’t you call my parents that night?? Tell the other ghoulies?????? Maybe then they would’ve found me and I wouldn’t be so FUCKED UP”_

_“I did!!! We were looking for you, chai, we-we tried.”_

_“And you didn’t find me.” He glared at her, and her lip trembled,_

_“I’m sorry.” He turned his back to her._

_“I don’t wanna see you here anymore.”_

_She opened her mouth, trying to say something, before she closed it again, “if that’s what you want…”_

_“Leave. Don’t come back.”_

He felt like shit all the time and his lack of sleep wasn’t helping.

His body hurt from crying all the damn time. He couldn’t stop. His eyes seemed to be swollen, red, and puffy permanently now, constantly leaking.

Abdiel and Luz watched as their son suffered, their hearts breaking.

“We need to do something about this.”

“But what?”

“I’ll talk with everyone, see if anyone knows.”

_Abdiel walked in as Nai walked out, tears falling down her cheeks._

_He spared her a look before going into his son’s room to find the teenager facing the wall, a soft sob coming from him._

_“Mijo” he started softly, Malachai turned over and embraced him, resting his head on his father’s shoulder._

_“I made a mistake”_

-

Nai sat in front of Abdiel, arms crossed and brows furrowed

“What do you want?”

“What happened to Malachai?”

“I’ve told you many times. I really don’t know. Last thing I remember from that night was him telling me to run and shoving me into the woods. Why can’t you ask another member? I wasn’t the only one in the woods looking for him.”

“But you were with him when he disappeared-Do you remember seeing anyone?”

She thought for a moment, “I might’ve seen a tall man in a serpent jacket? It was dark and I’m really not sure-“

“Of course.” Abdiel growled, “of course it would be. Was there a woman with him? Brunette? Looks like she’s perpetually angry?”

“I didn’t see faces. I just saw one guy.”

“Fuck” he slammed his hand on the table, before looking up at her. She didn’t seem fazed by his outburst and raised a brow in return.

“You sure that’s all you saw?”

“Abdiel. I’ve told you once and I’ll tell you again. That’s all I saw.”

“Alright then” he sighed, leaning back in his chair before smoothing his hand over his face. A few moments of silence passed before he looked back at her.

He sighed, “Malachai misses you, ya know?”

“Really? Wouldn’t have guessed.” She crossed her arms. “Given that he kicked me out last time I saw him.”

“It was really nice of you to bring him his homework-“ she sighed, cutting him off.

“What’s this change in tone? First you’re interrogating me, now you’re thanking me?”

“I’m just worried about my son-And I’m thanking you because you’re his best friend, as far as I know. You should come by again, he’s not sleeping. He’s not eating. He’s crying all the time and he won’t even take a bath-“

“Why is that my problem?”

“I thought you were his best friend”

“With all due respect, mr. Martinez, I can only take so much of his verbal attacks. I know he’s hurt right now, But it’s not fair to me if I’m met time and time again with nothing but-” she sighed, pressing her fingers between her brows, “I don’t wanna be there if it’s just gonna make him upset.”

He stayed silent.

“Can I go?…Seems like you’ve gotten what you wanted. That’s all I can tell you”

He made a gesture towards the door, and she got up.

“Nai?”

“What?”

“Just visit him one more time…he really needs it.”

She stilled, her back to him,

“He’s by himself a lot, and that can’t be good” he continued, “he just needs a friend-“

“You’re too soft, you know?” she turned, crossing her arms again, “begging one of your members to do something for you?”

His face turned stony “You wanna stay in this gang? I know of a lot worse things you could be doin, kid. I know you damn well don’t wanna be back where you used to be…Do I need to give you an order, Nai?”

Her jaw clenched and her fists balled.

“Fine. I’ll be there.” she said after a moment, before leaving.

-

Abdiel walked over to the house of the dead, greeting the Esau’s as he walked around to the back and down to the cellar door.

He opened it to reveal a long, dark passageway, lit by lanterns.

He walked down until he reached a doorway, lined in bones, and rolled his eyes.

He walked in to see Hades and Nicene hanging out.

“Abdiel, old friend” Hades greeted him with a smile, before he saw his expression, “what happened?”

“Malachai was attacked. Waterboarded, I suspect, by two people we all know and love.” He gritted,

“You wanna give me a hint?” Hades straightened up in his seat, “there are a lot of people we ‘know and love’”

“According to the Akira girl, it seems to be our lovely friends Gerard and Marina”

Nicene scowled, “those two?”

“Yeah, those two”

“What you suppose we do about it?”

“Eye for an eye, I’m certain.”

Nicene put out her cig, “I guess I can call in a few favors.”

“You gonna talk to Sam about this? See if he knows anything?”

“Yeah, I might.”

“Good.” Hades leaned back in his chair.

“Also, What the fuck is it with you and bones all over the place?”

“It adds character.”

“You get those from the cemetery?”

“Where else would I get them? They ain’t using it.”

“Ay dios mio, get a paster to bless the place, I had to walk here in the dark.” He held up his smoking torch before tossing it to the man, it skittered across the floor before landing at his feet.

“I’ll take note of that. Maybe Ne Ra can work her magic.”

“Get Gideon. At least she’s ordained.”

Hades nodded and Abdiel turned around.

“Ab!”

“What?”

“Give the kid my greetings. Hope things work out for him soon.”

“Will do.”

**Author's Note:**

> you can also read this story at my tumblr hugharekillianmelou under the tag fic: holy water cannot help you now. It also introduces a playlist and character intros.


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